The time it takes: A reflection on academia and activism
What can academia add to activism? Can academia add anything to activism at all? Or, perhaps, the question ought to be: should academia want to add anything to activism? In my research, I often ask myself these questions. Focusing on the context of Latin America, I study how human rights activists use visual culture to… Continue reading→
Brigstow Data Researcher
We are looking for a researcher with a background in social science or humanities and with both qualitative and quantitative skills. This project would be particularly suitable for a researcher who has an interest in interdisciplinarity, co-produced methods and creative approaches but is essentially a data analysis role. What would I be expected to do?… Continue reading→
Embracing the Interconnected wonders of Collard Hill: Academics, Artists, Activists and (Neo-)Aurelians come together to see the Large Blue Butterfly
“We’re going on a butterfly hunt, we’re going to (digitally) catch a large one!” In the childhood storybook ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by Michael Rosen, a family stride through long grass, wade through a river and squelch through sticky mud on an adventure. In this blog, I tell the story of our own… Continue reading→
Peasant and Popular Feminism: Co-constructing Peace and Sustainability
Deep in the rural heartlands of central Colombia, in territories wracked with violent conflict for decades, women have kept fields flourishing and communities alive. Campesino (peasant) existence in the Middle Magdalena hinges on a history of struggle (Ferro and Tobón, 2012; Molano, 2009). These natural resource rich lands have been at the centre of territorial… Continue reading→
Reflections on taking part in creative and co-produced research Laundry Justice
By Sharon Martin, A Brigstow Student Researcher on Laundry Justice. I was appointed as a seedcorn Research Associate for the second stage of the Brigstow Project Laundry Justice. My role involved carrying out a literature search of grey and academic literature about circus, including circus as part of academic research. It also included the role… Continue reading→
Implementing innovative qualitative research methods with farmers to understand the transition to alternative agriculture in the South West of England
By Arleen Lezcano, South West Agroecology Network. When I set the objective of understanding farmer’s practices in the context of agricultural transition and behaviour change, I don’t think I was very aware of the challenge, especially because these types of studies require the analysis of human experiences. So how could I achieve it? I understood… Continue reading→
“It opened my eyes” – group reflections on our experiences of the community research ‘Living Financial Resilience’ project
Last year, we collaborated with Boost Community and local community researchers to investigate lived experience of financial resilience in Lawrence Hill. One of our aims was to reverse the usual top-down structures of research, by making sure that people from the local community were at the forefront of the project throughout data collection, analysis and… Continue reading→
Making and Talking Menopause with the MenoMakers
Welcome to the Menopause It used to be a secret But now… It’s too big not to talk about. [Nelissa Mendy, 2022]. The MenoMakers discussion and craft group has been running for two years in North Kensington, London. It has given us a much-needed space to talk about our menopause, one that we didn’t have… Continue reading→
Plants as research partners?
Can plants participate in Brigstow’s mission to co-produce knowledge? The Institute’s research into living well involves diverse groups from academia and beyond, each bringing their own experiences and histories to bear as values and ideas mingle. In our project, Growing Liveable Worlds, one of our goals was to experiment by inviting plants into the Brigstow… Continue reading→
Navigating the unnavigable
This was my first experience of creative co-produced academic research. We’ve been looking at improving access to dentistry for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. It was something I’d really wanted, had initiated and pursued over a long period of time recognising the role of academia to be a bridge between communities and services. Research… Continue reading→